Incinerating toilet

ABSTRACT

A container having a conventional toilet seat and cover, includes an inner rotating pan to catch waste, separate liquid, and after use to rotate to dump solid from the pan onto an incinerating hearth. The separated liquid flows into a jacket defining the firebox side wall for evaporating liquid during the incineration of the solids. The rotary pan is movable from a sealed position, which seals the fire chamber from the seat, to a rotating position spaced therefrom. Air is forced into the unit maintaining it under positive pressure and provide a positive circulation of air throughout the fire chamber. Solids are initially dried and incinerated on a solid hearth following one use cycle, and then are scraped onto a grill for open flame incineration following the next use cycle. Lifting and lowering the toilet seat activates the device.

United States Patent 1191 Rassbach et al. Sept. 24, 1974 [5 INCINERATING TOILET 3,694,825 10/1972 Kufrin et al 4/131 [75] Inventors: Volker Rassbach, Denver; Clyde W.

La Grone, LlttletOl'l, both of C010. hammer-Henry Ams Attorney, Agent, or Fzrm-R1chard D. Law [73] Assignee: Eliminex Technology lnc.,

Wheatridge, Calif. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Flledl 1973 A container having a conventional toilet seat and [21] Appi 3 1 cover, includes an inner rotating pan to catch waste, separate liquid, and after use to rotate to dump solid from the pan onto an incinerating hearth. The sepa- [52] US. Cl. 4/131, 110/9 R rated liquid flows into a jacket defining the firebox [51] Int. Cl A47k 11/02 side wall for evaporating liquid during the incineration [58] new of Search 4/131, 10; 110/ 9 of the solids. The rotary pan is movable from a sealed 110/9 8 C position, which seals the fire chamber from the seat, 3 to a rotating position spaced therefrom. Air is forced [56] References and into the unit maintaining it under positive pressure UNITED STATES PATENTS and provide a positive circulation of air throughout 1,160,360 11 1915 Atterbury et al. 110/8 0 the fire Chamber- Solids are initially dried and inciner- 2,903,709 9/1959 Blankenship et a1... 4/131 ated on a solid hearth following one use cycle, and 3,110,037 11/1963 Frick et al. 4/131 then are scraped onto a grill for open flame incinera- 3,3l9,588 5/1967 Duncan 110/9 tion following the next use cycle. Lifting and lowering 3,320,907 5/1967 Duncan 110/9 E the toilet Seat activates the device 3,624,843 12/1971 Andrus 4/131 3,683,425 8/1972 Patterson 4/131 20 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENIEnsammn I sum 2 0r 6 rlll u FIG.4

PATENTEDDBI 24 1914 saw u or 6 FIG.6

INCINERATING TOILET This invention relates to incinerating toilets which incinerate human waste after each use to eliminate such waste without odor or an accumulation. Preliminarily to incineration, there is an immediate separation of solids and liquids. The solids are incinerated separately while simultaneously the liquids are evaporated and dissolved solids, particularly organics, are vaporized into a gaseous discharge which is eliminated with the gases of combustion from the solids.

Pollution of water and land has greatly increased as human population itself has increased. One obnoxious source of water pollution is human waste, which is not only obnoxious, but is generally very unsanitary and capable of vast spreading of disease and the like. Conventionally inthe United States, such waste is flushed with a large volume of waterdown a sewer for subsequent treatment. In some cases it is flushed directly into a body of water (streams, lakes, oceans, etc. Sometimes the waste is passed through leeching fields before entering a water course, and in other instances it may de dumped into open pits, or the like. Many boats and ships discharge waste directly into the water. Trailers, campers and some boats having toilets use a holding take, which must be subsequently dumped into a sewage system. Such disposal of human waste is not satisfactory for the ecological preservation of water supplies of the world.

Numerous attemptsto incinerate human waste appear in patent and other literature. These have been generally crude and rudimentary ideas on a complex problem, and such simple approaches have not proven commercially successful. Early attempts to provide incinerating toilets include ideas of the incineration of the combined solid and liquid waste. This not only requires an excessive amount of heat, but usually results in an obnoxious stack gas and incompletely incinerated solids. Further, such attempts have not been suitable for use in buildings due to the fire hazards both to the equipment and to users of the devices. Other attempts utilize a fire box separate from the toilet. which eliminates the possibility of portability of such units. Along with the problems of tire safety and portability are found problems of air tightness of the unit which will not release obnoxious odors into the area of the unit; a unit small enough to be useful for trailers, boats, etc., yet efficient enough to eliminate the quantity of human waste deposited into the unit; to provide a sufficient concentration of heat for fast, efficient incineration of solids; to provide a safety unit which utilizes external air for combustion, etc. The present invention provides a device which solves the problems set out above as well as others, and it provides a compact, efficient incinerating toilet.

Therefore, included among the objects and advan- I from a sealed position to rotary position during a use cycle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an incinerating toilet having a two section incinerating grate for solids, whereby solids are initially dried and inciner ated by indirect heat in one section and subsequently burned in an open flame in the other section.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an incinerating toilet having forced air circulation providing a positive pressure in the combustion chamber and providing external air for such combustion.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an incinerating toilet having a combustion system controlled by the outlet gas temperature to prevent overheating of the unit and to control the use cycle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an incinerating toilet having a combustion cycle controlled by the temperature differential generated upon the evaporation and gaseous discharge of liquid waste materials.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a generally schematic perspective view of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away perspective of one form of rotary pan useful for the incinerating toilet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective cut away view of the incinerating toilet of FIG. 1, generally taken along the section lines 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a perspective cut away view of the incinerating toilet of FIG. 1 taken generally along section lines 4-4 with the outer shell removed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mechanism with the outer shell removed;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of one form of a burner assembly useful for the incinerating toilet of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a detailed view of one form of actuating mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a generally schematic view of one form of safety cover for an incinerating toilet according to the invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail view of one end of a rotary pan of the invention illustrating the liquid separating mechanism thereof;

FIG. 10 is a portion, cut away, of a modified burner assembly of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view ofa manifold for mixing air and gas for the flame of the burner.

In the device selected for illustration in FIG. 1 a shell or outer housing 10 is arranged to enclose an inner shell and operating mechanism. The shell encloses the incinerator in a neat appearing housing. The shell 1-0 supports a cover 10a to which is attached a toilet seat 12 with its cover or lid 14. Access to an incinerating burner mechanism (described below) is provided through a lower from opening door 11, which may be provided with a lock, handle, or the like, as is common with such drawer type containers. The housing and cover may be formed of metal or preferably resin impregnated glass fibers which produces a strong, light and molded unit. Furthermore, the shell may be made of colors to match or contrast with the surrounding area, andwith the toilet seat, in accordance with the desires of the purchaser.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, an inner housing 27 is mounted on a base 27a, and the shell is arranged to fit over and enclose the inner housing 27 as well as the mechanisms attached thereto. A narrow annular space is left between the two shells as explained below. Mounted internally of the inner shell 27 is an insulating layer 27b which extends around the inside of the inner shell. An annular jacket 30 is arranged internally of the insulation, and the jacket 30 is arranged to accept and hold liquids for evaporation under influence of heat from the burner as described below. Extended across the shell 27, adjacent the upper end, is an inner closure member 15, which includes an elongated opening 16 in an arcuate portion a. A generally planar cover 15b mounts above and covers the inner closure 15, and it includes an opening 16a which coincides or registers with the opening 16 in the inner cover 15.

Mounted below the opening 16 is a three sectioned rotary pan, shown in general by numeral 18, which includes three sections 22a, 22b and 220 which are arranged in a general V-shape of about 120. The rotary pan 18 is mounted on a shaft 21 which extends through opposed sides of the inner shell 27. Shown in FIG. 2, the pan includes ends 19 and 20, with the end 19 having perforations 21 communicating with each of the pans 22a, 22b and 220. The opposite end has apertures 24 for discharging liquid from the pan. Each of the pans includes a flat area which extends into the hubs 19 and of the pan, and these extensions 23 on end 19 (with similar extensions on end 20) form troughs including sidewalls 23a and an end wall 23b, with a space between the sidewalls and the end wall. Liquid draining from solids in the pan passes through the apertures 21a in the one end and 24 in the opposite end along the extension which forms the trough 23. Liquid from the trough flows into a cone 25 (FIG. 9) which includes a rolled back lip 25a. The lip is mounted internally of the jacket 30. With this arrangement liquid flows only into the jacket and not along the shaft 21.

As shown in FIG. 5, insulation may be placed on top of the inner cover 15 to hold the heat in the fire box. The burner for the incineration is arranged at the lower end of the fire box, and preferably with a peripheral flame for heating the jacket and a central flame for incinerating solids. One form of burner is shown in FIG. 6, wherein an outer pan 40 is arranged to accept an inner insulating ring 41 mounted concentrically with the inner wall of the pan 41. An inner pan 42 is arranged to nest inside the insulation ring 41 and to be secured to the pan 41 by means of screws 40c which pass through openings 40d in the pan 40 and through the holes 42d in the pan 42. An inner pan 43 nests in the pan 42 and it is secured in place by means of a screw 43b which is held in opening 51 of the pan 42 by means of cup 43c. The pan 43 may have a corrugated wall or a corrugated sheet may be mounted between the two walls. An inner burning cone 44 is held on the bolt 43b by means of nuts 45. The cone 44 seats over an inner tube 44d which encompasses holes 43a in the pan 43. With the pans secured together, the assembly seats on the manifold assembly 46 which includes a gas jet 47 entering a venturi tube 48 and exhausting through the lipped outlet 49 which mates with the hole 50. The hold 51 of pan 42 mates with the hole 50 whereby some of the gas-air mixture diffuses outwardly in the space between thepan 43 and the pan 42 towards the openings 42a, while the remainder of the gasair mixture passes through the holes 43a, through tube 44d, into the burner cone 44. The secondary air for burning the peripheral flame enters the lower pan 40 through openings 40g. For the central burner air enters by means of tubes 40f which exhaust into pan 42 through tubes 42f and subsequently into the burner cone 44 through openings 43f and out through openings 44a. This provides secondary air for both flame areas of the burner. The primary air and gas provides a burnable mixture in an annular flame around the periphery of the pan 43 and, also, for an inner flame from the burner cone 44. The pan 43 is preferably corrugated to provide outlets for the gas and primary air mixture adjacent to pan 42. A corrugated insert ring could be placed between the pans 43 and 42 to provide passage for the gas for the annular flame. Secondary air which enters the tubes under pressure from a fan, explained below, exhausts through the holes 42a adjacent the annular flame and also the holes 44a in the burner 44. This arrangement provides sufficient oxygen for efficient combustion of the gas mixture and to provide a high temperature of the burning gas.

Between the two upper nuts 45 is a washer and ignition tube assembly 45a. The hollow tube opens on and extends from the burner cone 44 to the outer peripheral flame adjacent the holes 42a, so that ignition of the annular flame provides ignition for the inner burner. This is similar to the tube from a pilot light on a gas stove to a burner.

A grate 58 completes the burner assembly. The grate includes a solid metallic section 59 and an open grill work 60. The grate is arranged to sit on the assembly spaced above the inner burner to permit gas to flame under the grate. The reasons for this grate construction are explained below.

With the burner parts of FIG. 6 assembled, it is maintained in position in the inner housing 27 by means of a cam lock lever 55 pivotally secured to the base 27a by means of a rivet 56. The burner assembly is moved into place through the opening behind door 11 into the bottom of the inner shell 27, and the cam lock plate 55 is rotated so that the cams 55a press the assembly upwardly into a lock position against the jacket 30, securing it in place.

A slightly modified burner assembly is shown in FIG. 10, wherein an outer pan 40a is provided with an insulating ring 41a and an inner pan 42b nests therein. Inner pan 42b is provided with openings 420 which correspond with the openings 42a of FIG. 6. These two pans are held together by means of bolts 40h. An inner pan 43a nests internally of the pan 42b. The upright wall of the pan 43a is corrugated to provide openings adjacent pan 42b for a gas-air mixture for burning adjacent to pan 42b. A burner cone 44b is held in place on pan 430 by means of a bolt 43d which is secured in place by means of nuts 45 which hold a washer and ignition tube assembly 45a therebetween (similar to FIG. 6). A spacer tube 44d permits a gas and air mixture to pass upwardly through burner holes in the top of the burner cone. Opening 50a in the pan 40a communicates with the manifold opening. An air passage for secondary air in the burner cone 44b is provided through a trough which exhausts into the space between the tube 44d and the burner cone 44b. Secondary air enters through an opening 40f, passes through the trough and out the openings 44a in the burner cone. Additional holes 400g of the radial distance of holes 40f provide secondary air for passing up between the pan 42b and the pan 40a exhausting through the openings 42c adjacent the peripheral flame. This assembly is seated on a manifold and it in turn is secured in place by means of the cam block arrangement of FIG. 6.

A slightly modified manifold assembly is shown in FIG. 11, wherein a manifold 460 includes a lipped opening 49a which is arranged to seat in the opening 50a of the pan 40a providing gas-air mixture for the burner. Gas enters the manifold by means of a line 47a and this passes through an internal venturi 48a which provides effective mixing of the entering gas and in through holes 46b in the manifold 46a. The mixing achieved by the internal venturi 48a provides a uniform mixture of gas passing into the burner for the two sections of flame.

As an additional safety measure, a cover may be provided which automatically opens when the lid is raised and closes when the lid of the toilet seat is closed for the burning cycle. As shown in FIG. 8, a cover 100 is arranged to move in a parallel movement over the opening 16 registered with the rotary pan. The cover is moved in a parallel movement by means of links 102,

and 103 connected to secondary links 104 and 105 which are attached to the frame. Actuating movement on pin 101 provides reciprocal movement of the cover, and the links 102 through 105 provide the parallel action. The top planar cover b provides still an additional safety measure in that it provides an air space above the inner cover 15.

As explained above, actuation of the unit is achieved by raising and lowering the lid of the toilet seat. A series of linkages connected to the shaft of the lid rotates the pan to deposit solid material on the grate, actuate the rake for the grate, move the rotary pans downwardly for rotation and then upwardly into sealed position and to operate the cover of the opening 16. An electric switch may be provided so that when the seat is closed a blower is operated providing exterior air to the unit, a gas valve is opened providing gas for incineration. Ignition of the gas-air mix is achieved by igniter means which preferably operates continuously during the burning cycle.

One form of the linkage mechanism for operating the various mechanisms is shown in FIG. 7, wherein shaft 70 is affixed to the toilet lid 14 and rotates therewith. Mounted inside the housing or the outer shell 10 and supported on the inner shell is an L-shaped lever arm 71 having a pin 72 at one end spaced from the shaft 70. The L-arm is affixed to the shaft 70 and rotates therewith. As the lid 14 is lowered the L-arm 71 pivots toward the left or clockwise. The cam pin 72 moves into a slot 73 in a triangular shape plate 74 which rotates on a pin 93 secured to the inner frame 27. Asthe L-arm moves clockwise it moves the triangular shaped plate to its leftmost position shown in dashed lines 74. Rotation of the plate 74 pushes the rod 80 downwardly to rotate the rake actuator rod 81 which extends along the base 27a to the opposite side. The actuator rod 81 (FIG. 5) pushes a rod or link 8111, which has its counterpart on the opposite side of the incinerator. The link 7 81b is pinned to outwardly projecting ends of a U- shaped rake mechanism 81c which rests on the plate 59. Forward movement of the rod 81 pushes the connecting link 81a and the link 81b rotating the rake so that it moves from the front of theplate 59 towards the grill 60 of the grate.

When the L-arm 71 is moved to its furtherest clockwise position on the plate 74, cam which is under spring tension, not shown, returns to its normal upward position as the pin 72 moves off the cam surface 91 freeing the plate 90 for its return journey. In this clockwise rotation of arm 71, the pin 72 impinges upon the cam surface 91 on a cam 90 which is pivoted about pivot 93 in an elongated slot 92. This provides a lost motion of cam 90. As the pin 72 slides along the cam surface 91 it depresses the cam plate 90 which in turn depresses connected arm 94 which pivots about pivot 95 secured to the frame 27. In one form, the plate 90 is welded to the arm 94 and the lost motion slot permits the unit to be depressed downwardly. The axle 21 supporting the rotary pans in the unit is mounted in opposing arms 94 on either side of the inner housing. Also, pivoted on the bar 94 is a connecting rod 94b having a counterpart 94b on the opposite side, forming a stabilizing unit. The upper ends of the two rods 94b are connected to a generally U-shaped stabilizing rod 94c to provide a parallel movement linkage for simultaneously moving both sides of the rotating pan downwardly to permit rotation thereof. The movement of the bars 94 breaks the contact of the pan 18 with the inner cover 15 and allows the pan 18 to be rotated.

A link bar 75 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 75a to the triangular shaped plate 74. The opposite end of this bar is pinned by means of a pin 75b to another plate 76 which pivots about pivot point 750. Rotation of the plate 74 pulls up the link rod arm 75 which in turn pulls up the plate 76 to the position shown in dashed lines. A slot 78 in the plate 76 encompasses the axle 21 and permits movement of the axle upwardly and downwardly by arms 94 while the plate 76 moves thereon. A pin 76b secured to the plate 76 contacts a cam surface 79 on wheel 77. The cam surface closest to the pin contacts the pin and movement of the plate 76 rotates wheel 77 and the attached pan 18 which is spring loaded, not shown, so as to turn the pan 18 on each rotational movement.

Air is introduced into the unit through an inlet pipe 34, which is preferably a 6-inch pipe. This exhausts into a plenium chamber 36 which connects with a blower intake 37, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The blower intake 37 is mounted on a blower housing 38a which is mounted above the blower motor 38. Air from the blower 38a passes a sail switch 39 and enters the space between the inner housing 27 and the outer housing 10. Some of the air is forced through the burner assembly as explained above, and the remainder is forced around and into the fire chamber above the burner assembly. Air and gases of combustion pass from the burning chamber, as shown in FIG. 3, upwardly past the rotary pans and out an inner tube 35, which is preferably a 4- inch tube. This dimensioning leaves an inch annulus for the intake of air. An adapter 35a conducts air from a smaller opening in the inner housing 27 to the pipe 35. A finer screen 120 is placed in the smaller opening of the adapter and a coarser screen 121 is placed in the larger opening of the adapter 35a which is approximately the diameter of the outlet pipe 35. The inner screen 120 catches fly ash, and the outer screen eliminates odors.

t A channel 122 for gas from the burner 32 is arranged to exhaust in front of the screen 120 to insure that the screen is heated as soon as ignition takes place in the firebox. The inner screen should be fairly coarse, in the -60 mes range, for example, to collect fly ash which results from the combustion. The second screen 121 should be slightly finer, in the 80120 mesh range, for example, which provides a heated screen for eliminating any odors that might escape the firebox. Gas-air mixtures from the outer burner pass through the tube 122 and are ignited in front of screen 120.

Ignition of the gas and fuel mixture is achieved by means of a spark plug 125, which is mounted adjacent the annular flame of the burner 32. The spark plug may be made to spark through a coil, breaker point assembly, or the like, all of which are conventional ways of producing spark in a spark plug. The sparking of spark plug should be controlled by a switch, not shown, which operates during the entire burning cycle. A solenoid valve (not shown) controlling the gas flow is controlled by the sail switch. This switch is open holding the gas solenoid valve circuit open until it is closed by an air stream from the blower housing which then closes the circuit activating the solenoid valve to permit gas to enter the burner. A circuit assembly housing 110 mounted above the blower intake provides the electrical circuitry for the blower solenoid valve and the spark plug.

During a usage cycle the water pan, which initially collects the waste material, permits separation of the liquids from the solid material. The liquid material drains from the pan into the jacket 30 and the solids stay in the pan until it is rotated by lowering the lid of the toilet. The rotary pan is arranged above the burner so that the pan section which just dumped waste material is subjected to high heat during the incineration. The next movement moves that same pan section toward the outlet side and it is, also, subjected to high heat thereby providing an automatic, double cleaning cycle for each pan section. The solid material which is dumped by the rotation of the pan, falls on the solid plate 59 of the grill and the heatfrom the burner cone is utilized for drying the solid material and providing some incineration. Concurrently with the drying action the outer peripheral flame impinges on the inside of the jacket, causing evaporation of the liquid material in the collection jacket. As long as evaporation takes place in the jacket, the exhaust gas is relatively cool. When the liquid is completely evaporated, the remaining solids are heated and disintegrated. At the beginning of the next cycle the dried material is scraped onto the mesh and is subjected to open flame.

The air that is blown into the space between the outer case and the inner case provides a moving cool air insulation barrier for the unit prior to entering the combustion chamber. This air under pressure enters the burner chamber providing primary and secondary air for combustion with the net result that butane, LP, natural, etc. gas burns at a very high temperature within the unit for good incineration. As pointed out above, the combustion takes place in two modes, the first being a circular platter around and adjacent the bottom of a liquid evaporatingjacket, and the second under the grate provides solids drying and incineration. The temperatures generated in the area of the grate are preferably in the l,600-l ,700 F. range, which is sufficient to eliminate odors and provide rapid drying and combustion of solid waste material. As the hot gases and flames rise past the grate they must pass the previously used sections of the rotating pans which are exposed to the high temperatures. Each pan section is thus heat cleaned through two combustion cycles prior to its next use cycle. By placing a thermal switch in the exhaust duct, the combustion cycle may be accurately controlled. For example, during evaporation the stack gas is relatively cool but at the conclusion of liquids evaporation a rapid temperature rise is shown in the exhaust gas. A thermal detector switch would detect the rapid rise and this may be used to shut down the combustion cycle. Once the combustion cycle is completed the unit is then automatically cooled down, and using the exhaust thermal switch, the exhaust temperature gases may be used to indicate whether or not the next combustion cycle may be started.

As pointed out above, by using the sail switch, the combustion cycle may be made so that it will not commence unless the forced draft system has created an air flow and a positive pressure sufficient to create a forced draft through the combustion chamber. By using the exhaust gas temperature as a major safety control, a temperature of below 300 F., for example, may be used for commencing the next cycle. Once the stack gas is below that temperature, closing the lid starts the combustion cycle. The blower is activated and the gas solenoid valve may be subsequently made to open which permits gas to enter the combustion chamber. Providing the electrical energy to a sparking system it may be made to fire the gas-air mixture. For safety, the electrical spark emissions should continue as long as the gas-air mixture enters the burner. Under normalusage an exhaust temperature of about 700 F. at the outer thermocouple 127 may be reached in a matter of from 3 to 5 minutes. A short cooling period of from one to one and a half minutes under influence of the air flow from the blower cools the exhaust gases to below about 300 F., ready for the next use.

The rotary pan is pressed against the inner cover 15 for use and for combustion, forming a seal in the opening 16. As pointed out above, the pan is rotated after every use. The mechanism momentarily lowers the bars 94 which support the axle of the pans, permitting free rotation of the pans. With the lid 14 in either up or down position, the pan is in sealed position.

Power for the unit may be provided by conventional 1 15 v. A.C. when the unit is installed in position to use household current. For a trailer, boat, and other portable mounting, it may be powered by 6 or 12 volt DC. The power requirements are mainly for the blower, sparking for ignition, and the switch circuitry. The fuel supply may be natural gas or bottled gas for mobile units.

What is claimed is:

1. An incinerating toilet having an outer shell; an inner shell separated from said outer shell; a combustion chamber mounted in said inner shell including burner means at the bottom thereof; grate means mounted above said burner means; the wall of said combustion chamber being a hollow jacket for collecting and holding liquid and having upper vapor outlets; barrier means at the upper end of said combustion chamber having an opening therein; a waste catching and separating rotary pan mounted in the upper end of said combustion chamber below said barrier arranged to separate liquid waste on receipt and pass it in to said hollow jacket and to deposit solid waste on said grate on rotation of said rotor; said burner arranged at the bottom of said combustion chamber having peripheral flame means for heating said jacket and central flame means for heating solid waste on said grate means; seat and lid means positioned above said barrier; and means connecting said lid to said rotary pan means for rotating the same after use.

2. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said rotary pan includes three compartments.

3. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said rotary pan seals against said barrier means for use and for incineration cycles.

4. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 being further characterized by pressurized air inlet means exhausting into the space between said inner and outer shells providing a flowing stream of cool insulating air.

5. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein hot gases of combustion heat cleans the portion of said rotary pan exposed to said combustion chamber.

6. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein hot gases exhaust through an outlet from said combustion chamber, and at least one screen is mounted in said exhaust outlet.

7. An incinerating toilet according to claim 6 wherein a pair of screens are mounted in said outlet.

8. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said grate means is formed of a solid sheet portion and an open grid portion.

9. An incinerating toilet according to claim 8 being further characterized by scraper means moving from said solid grate section to said grid section.

10. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said rotary pan includes liquid drain means whereby liquid is separated from solid waste immediately on being deposited on said pan.

11. In an incinerating toilet having a combustion chamber for incinerating waste separated from a toilet seat by a barrier, the improvement of a multiple compartment waste catching and separating rotor mounted below said barrier and having circular end walls and including three separated compartments, there being a series of openings in the end wall for each compartment permitting separation of liquid from solid therein; means for moving said rotor from a sealing position against said barrier; means for rotating said rotor to dump solid from said rotor and turn the used compartment into said combustion chamber when said rotor is spaced from said barrier; and means for moving said rotor into sealing position against said barrier after such rotation.

12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said rotor includes three compartments.

13. The improvement of claim 12 wherein each compartment is insulated from the others by an air gap and solid insulation.

14. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said means for moving and for rotating said rotor is connected to the toilet seat, whereby lifting and lowering the seat activates said means.

15. The improvement of claim 11 wherein each com partment includes a generally flat bottom, extension means beyond said end walls for flowing liquid, and guide means on said extension means for guiding flowing liquid.

16. In an incinerating toilet having a combustion chamber for burning waste disposed below a waste catching rotor; the improvement of means associated with said rotor for separating solid waste from liquid waste as they are deposited in said rotor; means inclusive of drainage means from said rotor and chamber means circumscribing the combination chamber for separately storing and evaporating liquid waste; grate means in the combination chamber to receive solid waste from the rotor; and means for separately subjecting liquid waste in said circumscribing chamber and solid waste on said grate means to the incinerating heat produced in the combustion chamber.

17. The improvement of claim 16 wherein said circumscribing chamber means for separately storing liquid and evaporating waste includes an annular container around said combustion chamber, the inner wall of said chamber being thin and defining the inner wall of the combustion chamber and providing a major thermal barrier for the combustion chamber.

18. The improvement of claim 16 wherein said means for separately subjecting liquid waste and solid waste to incinerating heat includes burner means having peripheral flame means adjacent to said means for separately storing liquid waste and central flame means.

19. The improvement of claim 18 wherein said burner means includes annular passage means for introducing second air under pressure for combustion into the flame issuing therefrom and providing cooling of said burner means.

20. An incinerating toilet as defined in claim I, the further improvement of air inlet means for said combustion chamber, and exhaust gas outlet means for said combustion chamber, blower means in said inlet means for introducing air under pressure into said combustion chamber, and temperature detector means in said outlet means for controlling a combustion cycle in said toilet.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N 3837012 Dated September 24, 1974 Inventofls) Volker Rassbach, Clyde W- LaGrone 1' appears in the above-identified patent It is certified that erro d as shown below:

and that said Letters Patent are hereby correcte Eliminex Technology Inc.

Item' [73] Assignee:

Wheatridge, Calif.

Eliminex Technology Inc.

should read:

- Wheatridge', Colorado Signed and sealed this 3rd day of December 1974.-

(S AL) Attest: o

- McCOY M. GIBSON JR. c, MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM po'wso (1069) t USCOMM-DC scans-P69 V U.5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFlCE: 96 0-366'33 

1. An incinerating toilet having an outer shell; an inner shell separated from said outer shell; a combustion chamber mounted in said inner shell including burner means at the bottom thereof; grate means mounted above said burner means; the wall of said combustion chamber being a hollow jacket for collecting and holding liquid and having upper vapor outlets; barrier means at the upper end of said combustion chamber having an opening therein; a waste catching and separating rotary pan mounted in the upper end of said combustion chamber below said barrier arranged to separate liquid waste on receipt and pass it in to said hollow jacket and to deposit solid waste on said grate on rotation of said rotor; said burner arranged at the bottom of said combustion chamber having peripheral flame means for heating said jacket and central flame means for heating solid waste on said grate means; seat and lid means positioned above said barrier; and means connecting said lid to said rotary pan means for rotating the same after use.
 2. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said rotary pan includes three compartments.
 3. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said rotary pan seals against said barrier means for use and for incineration cycles.
 4. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 being further characterized by pressurized air inlet means exhausting into the space between said inner and outer shells providing a flowing stream of cool insulating air.
 5. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein hot gases of combustion heat cleans the portion of said rotary pan exposed to said combustion chamber.
 6. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein hot gases exhaust through an outlet from said combustion chamber, and at least one screen is mounted in said exhaust outlet.
 7. An incinerating toilet according to claim 6 wherein a pair of screens are mounted in said outlet.
 8. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said grate means is formed of a solid sheet portion and an open grid portion.
 9. An incinerating toilet according to claim 8 being further characterized by scraper means moving from said solid grate section to said grid section.
 10. An incinerating toilet according to claim 1 wherein said rotary pan includes liquid drain means whereby liquid is separated from solid waste immediately on being deposited on said pan.
 11. In an incinerating toilet having a combustion chamber for incinerating waste separated from a toilet seat by a barrier, the improvement of a multiple compartment waste catching and separating rotor mounted below said barrier and having circular end walls and including three separated compartments, there being a series of openings in the end wall for each compartment permitting separation of liquiD from solid therein; means for moving said rotor from a sealing position against said barrier; means for rotating said rotor to dump solid from said rotor and turn the used compartment into said combustion chamber when said rotor is spaced from said barrier; and means for moving said rotor into sealing position against said barrier after such rotation.
 12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said rotor includes three compartments.
 13. The improvement of claim 12 wherein each compartment is insulated from the others by an air gap and solid insulation.
 14. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said means for moving and for rotating said rotor is connected to the toilet seat, whereby lifting and lowering the seat activates said means.
 15. The improvement of claim 11 wherein each compartment includes a generally flat bottom, extension means beyond said end walls for flowing liquid, and guide means on said extension means for guiding flowing liquid.
 16. In an incinerating toilet having a combustion chamber for burning waste disposed below a waste catching rotor; the improvement of means associated with said rotor for separating solid waste from liquid waste as they are deposited in said rotor; means inclusive of drainage means from said rotor and chamber means circumscribing the combination chamber for separately storing and evaporating liquid waste; grate means in the combination chamber to receive solid waste from the rotor; and means for separately subjecting liquid waste in said circumscribing chamber and solid waste on said grate means to the incinerating heat produced in the combustion chamber.
 17. The improvement of claim 16 wherein said circumscribing chamber means for separately storing liquid and evaporating waste includes an annular container around said combustion chamber, the inner wall of said chamber being thin and defining the inner wall of the combustion chamber and providing a major thermal barrier for the combustion chamber.
 18. The improvement of claim 16 wherein said means for separately subjecting liquid waste and solid waste to incinerating heat includes burner means having peripheral flame means adjacent to said means for separately storing liquid waste and central flame means.
 19. The improvement of claim 18 wherein said burner means includes annular passage means for introducing second air under pressure for combustion into the flame issuing therefrom and providing cooling of said burner means.
 20. An incinerating toilet as defined in claim 1, the further improvement of air inlet means for said combustion chamber, and exhaust gas outlet means for said combustion chamber, blower means in said inlet means for introducing air under pressure into said combustion chamber, and temperature detector means in said outlet means for controlling a combustion cycle in said toilet. 